Clinical Research Directory

Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current in Patients With Persistent COVID-19 With Headaches and Chronic Pain.

This study aims to verify the efficacy/effectiveness of treatment with transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) in patients with Long Covid who experience headaches, migraines, and chronic pain, such as arthralgia and myalgia, as well as sleep problems. Transcranial direct current stimulation is used in the field of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, with results that have proven to be effective for treating patients suffering from symptoms like migraines, headaches, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or chronic neuropathic pain and insomnia. As you can see, in the case of patients with Long Covid, we find several of these symptoms, so it is suggested that if transcranial direct current therapy (TDCS) gives such good results in relieving these symptoms, why couldn't it give such good results and help just as much in patients with Long Covid, since many of the symptoms are the same, even if the origin or cause is different.

Wearable Voice-Guided BBTi for Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea (COMISA)

This study investigates the efficacy of a wearable voice-guided Brief Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (BBTi) combined with a smart eye-mask device for individuals with Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea (COMISA). The four-year study comprises three phases: (1) exploration of cognitive-emotion regulation-arousal system mechanisms in COMISA and pilot BBTi intervention testing, (2) development and usability testing of an integrated smart eye-mask with BBTi voice-guided modules, and (3) a multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the combined BBTi plus smart eye-mask intervention versus BBTi alone, smart eye-mask alone, and standard sleep hygiene education in 160 COMISA participants. Primary outcomes include insomnia severity (ISI), daytime sleepiness (ESS), and CPAP adherence. The study aims to establish an evidence-based digital health intervention for improving sleep outcomes in COMISA patients.

Project Women's Insomnia Sleep Health Equity Study (WISHES)

The purpose of this study is to achieve health and healthcare equity by implementing an equity-focused, mindfulness-based sleep intervention to reduce stress and sleep deficiency-related cardiometabolic disease burden in Black women.

Suvorexant for Treatment of AUD and PTSD

This study is to determine if suvorexant (SUV) will reduce insomnia in 76 men and women veteran and non-veterans between the ages 21-65 with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use disorder (AUD). All participants will have a 7-day placebo run-in period, followed by a random assignment to receive placebo or suvorexant for an additonal 14 days. Post-randomization, participants will attempt to stop drinking for two weeks and will complete daily virtual diaries and study outcome assessments via in-person clinic visits on days 7 and 14.

Comparing Telehealth-Delivered CBT-I to Web-Based CBT-I to Enhance Sleep, Reduce Fatigue, and Promote Neuroprotection

The objective of this RCT is to assess the efficacy of one-on-one telehealth CBT-I (tCBT-I) compared to web-based CBT-I (wCBT-I) and treatment as usual (TAU) to improve sleep outcomes (Aim 1), fatigue and quality of life (Aim 2), and promote neuroprotection (Exploratory Aim 3), and to explore the characteristics of participants that predict improvement in sleep outcomes (Exploratory Aim 4). Reassessment of outcomes will be completed after the 6-week intervention and 6 months following completion of interventions.

Digital CBT for Insomnia and Depression

This study has two primary objectives, each of which addresses critical clinical and research gaps for individuals who have co-occurring insomnia and depression. The first objective is to address whether sequential treatment of insomnia and depression is superior to a single treatment for either depression or for insomnia, and if so, which treatment sequence is optimal. The second objective is to determine if there are heterogeneity of treatment effects; that is, variation in which interventions are best for which individuals, and if so, to develop and individualized intervention rule to better match individuals with the treatment that is most likely to lead to the best outcomes. A large randomized trial will be conducted to meet these objectives.

Study of Bedroom Environment Sleep Intervention at Home for Older Adults Living Alone With Memory Concerns

This is an eight-week pilot research study designed to test whether simple changes to the bedroom environment along with brief sleep hygiene strategies, can improve sleep in older adults who live alone, have memory concerns, and experience insomnia symptoms. Older adults may be eligible to participate. The intervention will take 8 weeks, which includes 1-2 in-person visits from the research team at the participant's residence (evaluate the bedroom environment, install participant-agreed bedroom changes, deliver target sleep hygiene strategy) and 2 virtual or telephone calls (support environmental and sleep hygiene strategies) over 8 weeks. Sleep and environment data will be collected at screening/baseline, mid-intervention (4-week) and post-intervention (8-week)

Transcendental Meditation Intervention to Reduce Burnout and Enhance Resilience Among NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medicine Employees and Residents

The goal of this study is to learn if a meditation intervention called Transcendental Meditation or TM can be used in a small department at Weill Cornell Medicine to help reduce employees' levels of burnout, anxiety, insomnia, and depression as well as to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the meditation practice by Weill Cornell employees. The main question the study aims to answer is whether: • Levels of burnout, anxiety, insomnia, and depression will be decreased, and overall mental well-being will improve over a 3.5-month period before and after TM intervention. Participants will attend 9 sessions total (8 group sessions and 1 individual session) with a certified TM instructor from The David Lynch Foundation Institute for Mental Health and Resilience where they will gain experience in proper TM techniques. Also, participants will conduct 2 of their own TM sessions at home daily during the course of this study.

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia to Treat Insomnia Symptoms in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

The incidence of insomnia is estimated to be as high as 90% in individuals with MS due to insomnia being underdiagnosed. Sleep disturbances in people with MS have been associated with reduced cognitive performance, physical function, psychological well-being, quality of life, and occupational function, as well as increased prevalence of fatigue, pain, depression, and anxiety. The objective of the proposed study is to determine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to improve insomnia symptoms (Aim 1) fatigue, and health-related quality of life (Aim 2) in individuals with multiple sclerosis compared to an active control group, and to determine the characteristics of participants that predict improvement in sleep outcomes (Exploratory Aim 3).

Parent-Mediated Telehealth Intervention for Insomnia in Young Autistic Children

This study will evaluate the efficacy of a structured parent-mediated behavioral intervention called Sleep Parent Treatment (SPT) for insomnia in autistic children ages 3 to 7 years 11 months, compared to another behavioral intervention called Sleep Parent Education (SPE). Eligible children will be randomly assigned to either the SPT or SPE intervention for 10 weeks.

CBTi for the Treatment of Insomnia in Type 1 Diabetes

The goal of this study is to learn if treating insomnia with a therapy intervention in people with type 1 diabetes will help to better control sugar levels, sleep, and quality of life. The questions this study aims to answer include: Will this intervention help the insomnia symptoms? Will obtaining better sleep aid in the control of diabetes through measures like sugar levels? Will the intervention help with quality of life factors like mood and fatigue? Researchers will compare participants receiving the therapy intervention for sleep with those in the "healthy living" intervention to see if the outcomes are different based on the treatment. Participants in the therapy intervention group will: * meet virtually with a therapist for 8 sessions via Zoom. Once a week for the first 4 weeks and then every other week for the last 4 sessions. Participants in the healthy living group will: * receive weekly health education emails * receive brief weekly calls from a coach to answer any questions Participants, regardless of intervention, over the 12 week study period will: * monitor their sleep for 2 weeks through a sleep-monitoring watch * share their continuous glucose monitoring data throughout the study * answer questionnaires prior to the intervention, halfway through the intervention and then after the intervention * attend 3 in person office visits

Study on the Management of COMISA

COMISA, the combination of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and insomnia, is a frequent and burdensome condition. Many patients with OSA experience clinically significant insomnia symptoms, and a substantial proportion of individuals with chronic insomnia also meet criteria for OSA. This comorbidity is associated with more severe symptoms, more complex diagnostic pathways, and reduced adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This study aims to better understand COMISA and evaluate whether adding daridorexant to CPAP treatment can improve treatment adherence and overall patient outcomes.

Improving Negative Stressful Perseverations in Insomnia to Revitalize Expecting Moms (INSPIRE)

Nearly half of women develop insomnia during pregnancy, which is associated with increased risk for developing perinatal depression. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the implementability and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia relative to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in pregnant women with insomnia and comorbid depression. The investigators aim to examine whether a mindfulness-based intervention effectiveness reduces symptoms of insomnia and comorbid depression.

Deep Sleep in Older Adults

This double blind randomized clinical trial on older independent-living healthy individuals with symptoms of insomnia will harness Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and augment it with ambulatory data collection devices, personalized digital content, and smart sound and light cues (CBT-I +Internet of Things \[IoT\]+Artificial Intelligence \[AI\]). With this approach, the investigators aim to overcome many of the limitations that CBT-I in the clinic faces: the investigators can implement it in ambulatory settings while providing increased (remote) accessibility to therapy. The investigators will compare the CBT-I +IoT+AI to active controls that also integrate with smart phone devices, including SleepEZ, which is also based on CBT-I, and sleep hygiene education. These active controls will help determine whether CBT-I +IoT+AI is effective at treating insomnia based on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) (primary outcome), sleep metrics (secondary outcome), cognitive performance (secondary outcome), and additional outcomes like therapeutic adherence and other mental health assessments. Participants will be asked to track sleep with wearable and nearable devices, complete surveys, and complete cognitive assessments.

The Impact of Acute Pain on Sleep Parameters in the Insomnia Population and Healthy Controls

This study investigates how acute exercise-induced muscular pain affects sleep quality and sleep architecture in people with insomnia compared to healthy sleepers. Sleep disturbances and pain often influence each other, creating a negative cycle; however, it remains unclear how acute muscle pain - such as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after strenuous exercise - alters continuous sleep parameters and pain sensitivity differently in clinical insomnia populations versus healthy controls. Participants will be divided into two groups: individuals with clinical insomnia and age- and sex-matched healthy sleepers. Both groups will undergo a standardized exercise protocol designed to safely induce temporary, acute muscular soreness (DOMS). Objective sleep parameters (measured via wrist Actigraphy) and subjective sleep parameters (measured via sleep diaries), will be monitored before and after the pain induction. The primary goal is to determine whether individuals with insomnia experience greater sleep disruption and altered pain recovery trajectories following an acute painful event compared to healthy individuals.

The Impact of Insomnia on Pain Sensitivity and the Trajectory of Exercise-induced Muscular Pain

Sleep is a critical determinant of physiological recovery and pain regulation. Growing evidence suggests that sleep disruption directly heightens central and peripheral pain sensitivity to sensory stimuli (e.g., mechanical pressure, thermal stimuli), serving as a significant risk factor for the onset and persistence of musculoskeletal pain. However, the precise mechanisms through which sleep quality regulates bodily sensory sensitivity and influences the onset, progression, and recovery trajectories of acute musculoskeletal pain in the general public remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sleep condition, pain sensitivity, and musculoskeletal pain dynamics in healthy adults from the general population, regardless of their physical activity levels. Utilizing a standardized, safe, and fully reversible exercise-induced muscle soreness (EIMS) protocol as an experimental pain model, this project will continuously evaluate participants' quantitative sensory testing (QST) profiles and sleep parameters. The findings from this study will advance the mechanistic understanding of sleep-mediated pain modulation, providing evidence-based insights to inform future targeted sleep management and pain prevention interventions.

Insomnia and Insulin Resistance

Insomnia symptoms are linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS), which includes abnormal glucose metabolism, insulin resistance (IR), and incidence of diabetes. Chronic sleep deficit is a major predictor of disease and early mortality. Further, insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the United States. The recommended first line of treatment for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I is a multidimensional treatment that targets the thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate insomnia symptoms over time. This study will explore CBT-I effects on MetS outcomes (ie. blood pressure, triglycerides, etc.) and provide preliminary evidence that CBT-I impacts IR and fasting glucose concentrations within this population. 20 subjects with insomnia will be recruited. They will be randomly assigned to either CBT-i or sleep hygiene. The intervention is 5 wks. Pre and post intervention, the investigator will have participants fill out a number of questionnaires, a daily sleep diary, 2 weeks of actigraphy measuring sleep and physical activity and there will be a single blood draw at the beginning and the end of the study.

A Theory-based Sleep Hygiene Education for Insomnia Disorder

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, including fatigue, irritability, and impaired daytime functioning. Despite the availability of effective pharmacological and psychological treatments, relatively few individuals with insomnia seek professional help, highlighting the need for accessible and acceptable non-pharmacological interventions. Sleep hygiene education (SHE) has the potential to address this gap due to its simplicity, low cost, and ease of self-administration. Building on our previously registered pilot-testing protocol, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of a theory-based SHE program integrated with behavior change techniques in a larger community population. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether theory-based SHE is inferior to gold-standard interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) delivered via digital applications. Therefore, this study will also compare the effectiveness of theory-based SHE with a CBT-I app using a three-arm randomized controlled trial design.

Self-acupressure for Insomnia in Perimenopausal Women

Insomnia is a common complaint in peri-menopausal women. Acupressure might be a potential way to treat insomnia. Although acupressure can be self-administered, it is uncertain that whether the effects of self-administered acupressure are comparable to that of the practitioner-administered acupressure, due to the variability in patients' capability of mastering the acupressure technique and self-compliance. Previous studies seemingly suggested that self-administered acupressure may improve sleep quality, their conclusion on the efficacy of self-administered acupressure for insomnia was limited due to the lack of standardized subjective and objective sleep assessments and unclear diagnostic method of insomnia. To fill out this research gap, the proposed study will explore the effectiveness of self-acupressure for improving sleep in perimenopasual women using an RCT approach.

Web-Based Insomnia Treatment for Spousal Dementia Caregivers (SHUTi-DC)

Many people who care for a husband or wife with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia have trouble sleeping. About 40 to 60 out of every 100 spousal caregivers have insomnia, which means trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, or waking up too early. Poor sleep can make it harder to handle stress, think clearly, and stay healthy. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBT-I, is the recommended treatment for insomnia. It helps people change the habits and thoughts that keep them awake. But CBT-I is hard for caregivers to get. There are not enough trained therapists, and caregivers often cannot leave home for appointments. This study tests an online program called SHUTi-DC. It delivers CBT-I over the internet, so caregivers can use it at home whenever it fits their schedule. The program was adapted for people caring for a spouse with dementia. The study will enroll 80 spousal caregivers who have insomnia symptoms. Half will be assigned to SHUTi-DC, which has eight weekly online modules that take 20 to 40 minutes each. The other half will receive a web-based sleep education program with general information about sleep health. A computer decides which program each person receives, similar to flipping a coin. Everyone will answer questions about their sleep and well-being at the start of the study, each week during the program, and again six weeks after the program ends. The researchers want to find out whether SHUTi-DC improves insomnia symptoms, how it works, and whether caregivers find the program helpful and easy to use.

A Study of Suvorexant (MK-4305) for the Treatment of Insomnia Disorder in Participants With Opioid Use Disorder (MK-4305-098)

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) can have trouble falling or staying asleep. Researchers want to know if suvorexant will help people with OUD fall asleep and stay asleep. The goal of this study is to learn about the safety of suvorexant and how well people tolerate it. Researchers also want to learn if suvorexant helps people sleep longer compared to people who take placebo. A placebo looks like the study medicine but has no actual study medicine in it.

A Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonist to Reduce Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration in Adults With Insomnia.

The goal of this clinical trial is to explore the potential neuroprotective benefits of a dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) in adults with insomnia. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the DORA reduce blood-based phosphorylated TAU181, in adults with insomnia, when compared to placebo * Does the DORA reduce other blood-based biomarkers of neurodegeneration, including phosphorylated TAU217, amyloid beta 40:42 ratio, Neurofilament Light Chain (NFL) and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), when compared to placebo. Participants will: * Take 10mg Lemborexant nightly for two weeks * Take a matching placebo nightly for two weeks * Visit the research institute for a screening visit and for an overnight visit at the conclusion of each study drug treatment (3 visits in total).

Blue-blocking Glasses for Sleep Disorders in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Sleep problems and regulation difficulties are frequent in the child and adolescent psychiatry population. Insomnia and delayed sleep-wake phase disorders (DSPWD) are highly prevalent, and risk factors for developing more severe illness courses and chronic disorders. Pharmacological treatments of sleep disorders dominate even for the youngest patients but are unsupported by long-term data on outcome and side effects. The majority of non-pharmacological treatment options are composite and resource demanding. The investigators will examine the effects and feasibility of the isolated intervention of evening/night use of blue-blocking glasses/real darkness as adjunctive treatment for insomnia and delayed sleep phase disorder in inpatient and outpatient settings for children and adolecents.

The Effect of Different rTMS Interventions on Acute Experimental Muscular Pain in Individuals Comorbid With Insomnia

Insomnia exacerbates pain sensitivity and impairs physiological recovery from acute musculoskeletal pain. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive neuromodulation intervention to alleviate pain and modulate central sensory processing. However, whether rTMS can effectively mitigate insomnia-induced pain hyperalgesia and accelerate the recovery trajectory of acute musculoskeletal pain remains unclear, as does the optimal neuroanatomical stimulation target. Building upon an established experimental pain model, this randomized, sham-controlled study aims to evaluate the restorative effects of three distinct rTMS interventions - targeting the left primary motor cortex (L M1), the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (R DLPFC), and a sham condition - on individuals experiencing insomnia. Following a standardized eccentric exercise protocol to induce muscle soreness, participants will receive three sessions of the allocated rTMS intervention at 0, 24, and 48 hours post-exercise. Pain sensitivity, recovery dynamics, and quantitative sensory testing (QST) metrics will be continuously monitored across the recovery timeframe. The findings from this trial will clarify the therapeutic efficacy of rTMS in modulating acute pain under insomnia states and identify the target-specific mechanisms of cortical stimulation, offering evidence-based non-invasive interventions for musculoskeletal pain management.